Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Mountain Equipment Co-op Raven -12C 10F > Owner Review by Cora Hussey

Field Conditions Introduction I purchased the MEC Raven last summer. I had just worn out my old three-season -5F (-21C) bag after 350 nights, and was left with nothing but my full-winter -40F (-40C) bag. Thus, I intended the Raven to cover everything but full winter. I was a bit worried, since the rating for the Raven was -12C (10F). This number left a large gap between the Raven's advertised capabilities and my winter needs. I was even more worried after realizing that if the Raven was like other bags, I would actually be cold at 20F (-6C). But, I needed a down bag for its durability, and could not afford much above a $150 USD bag. Thus, I was left with very few choices. I purchased the Raven because (a) it advertised 21 cm (8.2 in) of loft, and (b) it was cheap. I planned on using the Raven throughout the summer to learn its boundaries, and then to purchase a cheap overbag for the cooler fall temps if needed. Field Use I've used the Raven for about 50 field nights between early summer and the present time (mid-winter). My use has seen a variety of conditions, ranging at night from 60F (16C) down to -5F (-21C) in temperature. I slept in a bivy, tent, snow trench, and straight under the stars with it. I used a variety of sleeping pads: Cool and snowy conditions: Full-length closed cell foam with full-length inflatable Cold and snowy conditions: Full-length closed cell foam, half-length closed cell foam, and full-length inflatable All others (all with no snow): Full length closed cell foam only The Raven saw some rain, some snow, some sweat, and lots and lots of morning dew. It got used everywhere from the high, snowy, and mountainous Sierra at 12,000 ft (3700 m) down to the arid winter desert of Joshua Tree National Park.

Product Overview Fit and Zipper - The Raven is a very basic mummy bag. It has basic (left-right) and straight baffles on the top, and the same type of baffles on the bottom. The hood and foot box have somewhat more complicated baffles, but only enough to provide a good fit. The zipper is 'full length' by mummy bag standards - that is, it runs from my ear down to my ankles. The zipper has two sliders so I can vent down near my feet. MEC makes both left and right zip bags, and they recommended that I get the zipper opposite my dominant hand (I am right-handed and got a left zip). I like the Raven a lot because it has a lot of the fit features I like and none I don't need. It has an oversized foot box, a hood with baffles running from one ear over my head to the other ear, and large and thick baffles on the neck yoke. The draft tube is thick and covers the whole zipper. The draft tube also has a piece of stiffened anti-snag tape to keep it out of the zipper. I have had very few problems with the zipper catching - fewer problems than previous bags I've owned. The fit is roomy, but then again, I'm pretty skinny. One thing I don't like about the basic design is that the zipper zips right up to the hood and isn't covered by anything. I've definitely woken up a few times with my face half-frozen to the exposed zipper. Here is a close up of the basic but functional hood: Fabric - As for the fabric, it has a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) - treated poly-nylon outer, and plain black nylon inner. I was worried when I purchased the Raven because the MEC website did not have much to say about the fabric. But dew water still beads up well on the outside, and I cannot blow air through the outer fabric so I am calling it windproof. The fabric also has small ripstop diamonds on it. Loft - This is the best part about the Raven, hands down. It advertises 21 cm (8.2 in) of loft, and boy does it ever deliver. Unfortunately, I did not measure the loft when it arrived. After it arrived, I used it for about 35 field nights. Then, worried about the wet upcoming winter, I washed the bag in Nikwax's Downproof wash. It was my first time using the Downproof wash, and I am still debating whether it was a mistake or not. Regardless, the Raven lost a very noticeable amount of loft-force (how taut the baffles feel when fluffed) and now the Raven takes much, much longer to fluff up when I pull it out of its stuff sack. Undaunted, I used it for another 15 or so field nights. After all that use, I fluffed the bag up on the floor, and measured the loft. Here is what I got, with a picture of the footbox loft: My approximate loft measurements, after use in this review: 9.5 in (24 cm) at the shoulders (including the yoke inside) 8 in (20 cm) at the chest 6.5 in (17 cm) at the knees 9 in (23 cm) at the foot The photo to the right has a 12 in (30 cm) ruler showing the footbox just below 9 in (23 cm). Now you can probably see why I am so impressed. To put it in perspective, 8.2 in (21 cm) of loft is more than major manufacturers (Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Western Mountaineering, REI, etc) put in their 0F (-18C) bags. Of course, more goes into a temperature rating than just loft, but for me the advertised 948 g (33.4 oz) of down fill certainly went a long way.

Field Use Opinions I will illustrate my field opinions by talking about the three trips where I was most impressed with the Raven. I used the Raven on many other trips, but these trips below were some of the better tests of what the Raven could do. To give you a little bit of an idea about me, well, I usually sleep cold and I usually sleep either in long underwear, naked, or as near to those options as possible. I usually get cold in most 'average' bags about 10-20 F (6-11 C) degrees above their advertised temperature ratings. I don't often concern myself with keeping warm by eating a big meal before bed, doing situps in my sleeping bag, or munching in the middle of the night, although I do those if I need to. I've certainly not had to do any of that with the Raven...yet. Longer-trip Use: 8 days in the Sierras (California, September 2004) Mountainous backpacking between 5000-10,000 ft (1500-3000 m) This was easily the trip where the Raven earned my trust. I had used it all summer with no problems, but with no real tests either. For this trip, my sleeping arrangemenents included the Raven, a thick closed cell foam pad, and a bivy. And...it snowed. Unexpectedly. Well, let me back up. The first night it started raining, and we had nothing so much as a tarp set up. We all hopped out of our bags. I helped set up a quick tarp for those without bivies, and then set up my own shelter. The whole time (waking up, setting up a tarp, setting up my bivy) the Raven lay out in the rain. I quickly shook it, shoved it in my bivy, and...woke up with a dry bag the next morning. Silently thankful that I didn't end up with a flat bag on day one, we hiked up and over a pass and into a valley where it snowed. For the next four nights, temperatures dropped below 20F (-7C). Every night, I was toasty. This meant that the Raven lived up to my hopes that it would be warm down to at least 10F (6C) degrees above its advertised temperature rating, which is as good as I could expect for most bags. Finally, when we all ditched our tarps and bivies to sleep straight under the stars for the last few nights, the Raven was still lofty and dry. Sure, it stunk quite a bit (as most down bags do after I live in them a while), but that was it. This gave me lots of hope for the winter ahead. Cold Weather Use: -5F (-21C) in the Sierras (California, December 2004) Single night camping in a valley at 8000 ft (2500 m) When I left for this trip, I assumed we would be car camping down lower near Bishop, where the temperatures hovered a few degrees below freezing. However, we ended up pushing further north to sleep near Lee Vining. When I saw the temperatures on the road hit -10F (-23C) on my car's thermometer, I thought I was going to be in trouble. My watch thermometer read -5F (-21C) when the three of us squashed into my two-person tent and huddled. But soon, I was warm! The other two people I was with were unfortunately rather cold. I thought I would be cold as well (as I usually am a cold sleeper) but instead I slept downright well. My feet got cold in the middle of the night, but I fixed that by adding some insulation between them and the ground. Now, I expect I may not have been comfortable just sleeping outside on my own in the Raven if it was -5F (-21C). In the tent, even though I was relatively comfortable, my skin was cold (keeping most of my heat in my core - demonstrating that I was borderline to being cold). Plus, I was gaining some unknown amount of heat from being crammed in a small tent with two other people. Because of this, one should interpret this example with some common sense. However, after that experience, I personally consider the Raven to be a 0F (-18C) bag for me. In other words, if I expected average temperatures on a trip to be around 0F (-18C), I would feel safe bringing the Raven because I know I can take steps to be comfortable at slightly colder temperatures. DWR Still Effective after 50 nights: Heavy Dew in Joshua Tree (California, January 2005) Two nights in the desert at 3500 ft (1100 m) As with any normal Joshua Tree trip I take, I went on this one without shelter. Thus, we fluffed our bags up and set them out under the setting sun, and went to relax and make dinner. Mere hours later, we returned to find our bags so covered with dew and frost that we would have thought it had rained on our bags had we not been only a short distance away the whole time. It was certainly an odd occurence for a desert which has such little moisture overall. Of course, we did the same thing the next night, and sure enough... the dew struck again. Needless to say, the story has a happy ending - I spent both nights dry and warm despite the cold temperatures evidenced by the slight frost. My only irritation was that the frost-dew continued collecting throughout the night, and the dew on the Raven's hood would warm up and drip onto my face all night. But this also speaks to how wet the conditions were. To have the DWR still in full force after so many hard field nights impressed me even further.

Summary I love the Raven because it is built tough. I throw unexpected and nasty conditions at it, and it performs with flying colors. This is the only bag I have ever owned that has not only been comfortable at its advertised temperature rating, but comfortable for much colder temperatures. It sheds dew, dries quickly, fits well, and performs just as a good down bag should. Likes Dislikes I am warm in it well below -12C (10F) Not much information on the outer fabric Comfortable and well-baffled hood and footbox Zipper touches my face when I sleep on my side Loft, loft, and more loft! Included stuff sack is overly large

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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Sleeping Bags > Mountain Equipment Co-op Raven -12C 10F > Owner Review by Cora Hussey